Archived Head-Ache

[480RUGER]

Help with Cracked head or Block

I got home last night from work and found antifreeze under the truck. Popped the hood and the overfill can was spilling over, not much but enough for the fan to blow it around over the filter and air hose. It didn't hit me until this morning so I checked the oil level and it was only a quart low. Its time to change the oil so it might just be low from 5000 miles of use. I didn't get a chance to see if oil was in the coolant yet and because we're in an outage at work not much time for anything else.



Now for the questions.

What should I look for to tell if its the head, head gasket or block?

And where is a good place to get a new head?

Finally could it be something else like a stuck thermostat?



I'm WOT at work so any shortcuts would be great.

Thanks guys

 

[480RUGER]

Help with Head Gasket, Head, or Block.

Come on guys. Does anyone know a good place for a new head? (stock, o-ringed, ported, etc... )

 

[480RUGER]

Hard time finding a head.

I just got off the phone with PIERS and said they can't even get anymore. I guess I'll try the East Coast.

 

[AKAMAC]

Are you sure it's the head? Was the coolant oily? It might be to oil cooler. PM sbentz, seems like he has no trouble finding heads to torture. MIke

 

[McCRam]

I'm in the middle of the same project. I had the same symptoms, overflowing overflow bottle, and oil in the coolant. I just got my head off today. The gasket was blown between the #4 and #5 cylinders.



After you shut down the motor, open the hood and check the overflow bottle. Does it bubble? That would be an indication of compression from the cylinder finding its way intop the cooling system. You can have the coolant system pressure tested. You can remove the oil cooler and have it tested as well.

 

[Bschneider]

I would be surprised if it's a cracked head - not that it isn't possible, it's just not likely. Hope that isn't it - diesel heads are pricey.



Check everywhere - hoses, radiator, water pump, etc. - if you can't find it, clean everything with brake cleaner, then turn it on (watch the temp!) to see where it's coming from...

 

[480RUGER]

Thanks guys, I'm going to drain a little oil from the drain plug and check for "milk". I've been at work everyday for two weeks 14+ hrs a day, so not much time or umph left when I get off. Gotta love a two month outage. If I o-ring the head do I still use a stock gasket or should I use a thicker one to lower the compression some??

 

[Alan Reagan]

Usually with coolant in the oil, you can see it on the dipstick.

 

[DVR]

480 ruger. i have a good friend that owns a diesel performance shop in charleston who might be able to help. let me know if you need his contact info.



did you buy chance purchase your truck in chapin from troy? that is where i got mine.



good luck with your truck.

 

[Mactruck]

I had an old ford f-100 w/ a v6 (thunderbird motor). Known for blowing head gaskets.



Had the same problem. When motor was warm it would blow exhaust into the waterjacket thus replacing the coolant with exhaust.



It was just a headgasket issue - not a cracked head.



I know it's not a diesel but just thought I would share.

 

[480RUGER]

None found

I drained less then a quart from the pan and no antifreeze found. Still don't have time to get down and dirty. Thanks for the info DVR and Mactruck.

 

[480RUGER]

still testing

OK, got home last night and drove the truck about 10 miles. Left the box off and drove slowly until it warmed up. The temp never got over 180-190 and oil press stayed normal. I hit it on 5x5 and it went but nothing like it should. It definitely lost power but when I check the oil it didn’t have any antifreeze in it nor did I have oil in the antifreeze. Nothing sprayed under the hood and the antifreeze was still filled to the top of the catch can.



EGT, boost and fuel pressure was normal. Now I have no idea what is going on. HELP I never got a chance to call John yet, DVR



Gregg

 

[TSRAM]

Take the radiator cap off and let the truck run for a bit, maybe even long enough to get up to operating temp. and look in the radiator for bubbles. A blown head gasket that is pushing coolant out will make the coolant almost look as if it boiling.

Most of the time you find oil in the coolant before vice-versa due to the oil pressure is higher (20-100psi) than the (12-15psi) cooling systems.

Have you cycled your key for codes or had them read yet?

Haven't heard from you in awhile BTW.

 

[480RUGER]

Thanks Root,

I'll try that today when I get off. Did you get both trucks fixed yet?

 

[TSRAM]

No. Hers goes to Jones monday morning. I still have to change a map sensor and another ECM at the least on the truck. At least it's drivable now anyway.

 

[480RUGER]

OK now it drops at least a gallon of water in 50 miles. Doesn't overheat at all. No sign of oil in the coolant and no water in the oil. What is it?

 

[McCRam]

Could be the headgasket. Mine was burning off coolant for a while before I saw oil in the coolant. One of my headbolts was rusted when I took it apart. What happens is compression pushes into the coolant passage and burns off the water. Check for bubbles in your overflow bottle after you drive around. You can also get the coolant system pressure checked. If there is a leak it won't hold 15 psi.

 

[480RUGER]

After changing the T-stat and radiator cap to make no difference in the lack of power and over spilling antifreeze on the floor, I talked to Olee Poole and set up a time to o-ring and stud up the truck. Thanks for all the help everyone. I hope this will do the trick.

Gregg

 

[480RUGER]

Olee found two places where the head gasket was leaking by and found zero cracks in the head. Thank God! He did find my injector fuel tubes needed to be replaced, I guess I messed them up when I went from stock to 275s and then to DDIIIs, finally ending up with Don’s Mach 3s. The head is resurfaced and o-ringed and the block has the new studs in. He wanted to keep it a few days to do the three step torque down, which is fine by me. After all said and done he saved me about a grand. Now I can talk to JR and get the turbo straight. Thanks for the info TDR.